YouTube travel vloggers die after tragic waterfall accident

A group of popular Canadian travel vloggers have died after an accident at Shannon Falls in British Columbia, Canada.

Ryker Gamble and Alexey Lyakh, co-founders of the YouTube channel High On Life, along with Lyakh’s girlfriend Megan Scraper, were exploring one of the natural pools along the waterfall, an area popular amongst hikers, located just outside of Squamish, BC, and an hour north of Vancouver.

The group were walking on the outer edge of the pool, when they slipped and fell approximately 30 meters to a lower, inaccessible pool. The park remained closed while a delicate recovery mission was underway, involving an aerial team, swiftwater team, RCMP underwater recovery team, and Squamish SAR. Warm temperatures further complicated the recovery, as rapid snowmelt led to heavier water flow.

The victims were well-known for their travel content and fast-paced lifestyle, amassing more than 500,000 subscribers on YouTube and 1 million followers on Instagram. The group aimed to inspire others to get outside, see the world in different ways, and live every day to the fullest.

“There are truly no words that can be said to ease the pain and the devastation that we are all going through right now,” the group wrote in a Facebook post. “They were three of the warmest, kindest, most driven and outgoing people you could ever meet, and the world has lost a great deal of light from the passing of our friends. They lived every single day to it’s fullest, they stood for positivity, courage, living the best life you can, and they shared and taught their values to millions or people worldwide. As tragic as their loss is, their message lives on through us all, and it is now our responsibility to keep the message going.”

The collective had previously made news headlines for their violations in several National Parks across the United States, including incidents in Yellowstone, Zion, and Death Valley, as well as a couple of Utah State Parks. The group were seen and photographed walking on delicate geothermal areas, riding bikes in designated wilderness areas, and flying drones in drone-prohibited areas. Gamble and Lyakh were banned from federal public lands for five years, ordered to pay more than $2,000 in fines, and sentenced to a week in jail.

The High On Life group released an emotional video on their channel, offering words of hope and inspiration during this rough time. The group also set up a GoFundMe to help cover memorial expenses.